Michael Faraday

Michael Faraday (22 September 1791-25 August 1867) was a British scientist who invented an early version of a Bunsen burner, popularized the terms ion, electrode, cathode, and anode, and his invention of the electric motor allowed for electricity to be employed in technology. Faraday was known for conveying his discoveries in easy-to-understand language - he was not given much of a formal education - and was one of the inspirations of Albert Einstein.

Biography
Michael Faraday was born on 22 September 1791 in Newington Butts, England. He was initially a blacksmith's apprentice, and he read many books during his time as an apprentice, developing an interest in science and electricity. Faraday was not given a formal education, but he was self-taught and attended many lectures by scientists. Royal Philharmonic Society founder William Dance gave him the tickets, and the two became friends after Faraday sent him a 300-page book of notes taken during the lectures as a gift. When Dance's eyesight was damaged with nitrogen trichloride, Faraday was employed as an assistant, and he became Chemical Assistant at the Royal Institution on 1 March 1813. While Faraday was not considered a gentleman due to being lower-class, he was given an honorary Doctor of Civil Law degree from the University of Oxford and turned down a knighthood due to his beliefs that it was against the Bible to pursue wordly reward, saying that he wanted to remain "plain Mr. Faraday". During his career as a scientist, Faraday invented the electric motor and popularized several scientific terms like "ion", "electrode", "cathode", and "anode", and he was so famous that the government asked for him to develop chemical weapons for the Crimean War; he refused due to the ethics of chemical warfare. In 1848, Prince Albert gave him a "grace and favor house" free of upkeep or rent at Hampton Court in Middlesex in recognition of his services, and Faraday retired there in 1858. He died in 1867 at the age of 75, and he was buried in London's Highgate Cemetery.